Joe Rocket Sonic Boot Review

[Guest revengel]

Gear Review: Joe Rocket Sonic Boots

Again while I dont have a picture of my actual pair of boots here is the boot in question:

Joe Rocket Sonic Boots

Context:

My review is one of an owner whos ridden in them for over 3800 miles as of this date primarily in warm & hot conditions. I commute to/from work using mostly highway with some neighborhood streets on one end and some city streets on the other. I also pleasure ride over country roads, highways, back roads and the like. I havent done any track days as of this writing (but plan to do so soon!) so this is a daily riders point of view. Please keep this in mind.

Sizing/comfort: I normally wear a 14-15 or so in western boots, sneakers & dress shoes (loafers I wear a 15 B) and I was happily surprised when I fit in a size 13US/12UK/47.25EURO boot. Now I prefer my bike boots to have a tighter fit but I suspect this is cut for the US & Canadian Foot as opposed to the more trim Euro fit. The closures are Velcro & buckle only; no zippers here. As a result you do have some flexibility to find some comfort. The buckle attaches to a strap that can be let out or taken in to give you a more snug or relaxed feel around the top of the foot. At the ankle through the calf is a large Velcro panel that can be adjusted to give a more customized fit for your ankle and calf. There is a somewhat gusseted flap on this boot which helps in this process, and it comes into play since this is a waterproof boot.

The outside of the ankle on the boot is fairly re-enforced to provide protection in an accident. The toe box & heel are much less re-enforced but the leather in the front is thick and has a shift pad on the top. The sole of the boot is likely re-enforced & takes some time to break in, but after that Ive been able to wear them all day for pleasure riding. They arent built for walking so when I get to work on the sneakers go!

Construction: Ive already touched on some of this but here are some more highlights. The upper, sole & ankle have the best protection for your foot and I can vouch for this as Ive crash-tested this item (see my review of the Spidi RR Jacketfor more details). Every major seam is double stitched and there is a reflective crescent on the heel. To the best of my knowledge there is no Kevlar stitching in the entire boot; Ill amend that if I learn otherwise.

Performance: The boot tread is fairly sticky more than good enough for a gas station. The only time Ive had any traction issues was on a pile of sand at a stop sign. They do feel a touch heavy after riding for a while and can get warm, but to be honest they feel fine to me. Ive been caught in rain in these a few times and my feet havent felt a drop of water seeping into the boot. Ive been in an accident and it not only protected my shin & top of my foot from abrasion, but it also protected my ankle from being twisted & scraped. Over time the shape has lost some of its rigidity but the boots have performed as advertised.

Price/verdict: These can be found for around $130.00 more or less, and Id say thats a good by for the money. If youre a commuter like me or you want a boot that you can use every day, this boot will fit the bill rather well. If youre a track person or would like more protection (say, a steel toe or Achilles protection) then step up to a higher boot. At over 3800 miles in under 2 months this is (for me) money well spent.

Revengel

[Switchblade]

Thanks for the info.

[Knife]

I was just looking at these at New Enough. They have them for $116.79! Seems like a great value.

[TimC]

Nice, well-written review. Thanks for posting it. :biggrin:

I'll probably get waterproof boots next time I buy pair. I'll try these on next time I see them in a shop.

[Beck]

The single buckle system looks very interesting. Does it give enough room to slip on the boot easily when the buckle is released? I ask this because I have two pairs of boots (Puma GP1000 and Dianese TCS) that have a bit of a problem when I slip them on and off because it becomes quite a bit of an effort almost everytime, as the boots do not give much room for the heel and ankle to drop in or slip out when all the buckles and other securing systems are released. Makes for good retention during a crash, but makes putting them on and off a bit of a huff-puffy chore. Specially not fun after a long ride.

Curious to know too if the front of the boot does not bunch up when the boots are on the pegs. I noticed that this can be a problem sometime with boots with minimal built in forward cant. or flexible enough boot insteps. where the material bunches up and pressure is exerted on the top of the foot.

Otherwise, I'm liking the non-racerboy but still serious looking styling on this boot very much :biggrin:

I'll check it out at the shops next time.

Thanks for posting the review!

Beck

95 VFR

[Rush2112]

Knife[/url] Posted Today, 01:14 PM

I was just looking at these at New Enough. They have them for $116.79! Seems like a great value.

I bought a pair from New Enough a couple of months ago, they are great for the street. I wear them to work or on the twisties. Good buy at a great price.

Beck,

The buckle is like a ski boot buckle and completely releases when opened so there is room for the on/off. The material can bunch across the top at the front of the ankle and top of the foot if the Velcro flap is not secured right. By the third or fourth time I put them on I had it straightened out... the boots may have broken in or the operator got smarter

:biggrin:

[Guest]

I also own a pair of these and I love them. Comfortable, waterproof, and just a great boot.